Moment with the Mayor: A Bunch of Stuff

Hi Neighbours:

Summer has been very busy and a couple of weeks have gone by since I last wrote. Here are a couple of updates on things I’ve been busy with:

• Council is doing a compensation review of the top two levels of administration (CAO & Directors). I am working with some other Mayors who are also doing reviews and we’ll be sharing information and collaborating a little. The reason for this review is based on the Organizational Effectiveness Review undertaken last year and the difficulties we are facing as we recruit a new Community Services Director and Recreation Manager. To date, our offers have been substantially less than the successful candidates have been requesting. The revised compensation grid will be a part of the Budget Presentation during the Public meetings in October.

Since we are collecting data from various communities regarding salaries, we will be doing a review of Council remuneration at the same time. That review needs to be done for the 2016 budget.

• This past spring, the Town adopted a new Official Community Plan (OCP) and accompanying Zoning Bylaw. However, before it comes into effect, the Province has to approve it. We are still awaiting approval, and as a result, we have some new developments that meet the new OCP but not the old. For this reason, we have asked the province to expedite approval.

• In consultation with the Ministry of Highways, we are working towards new regulations for temporary signs in the highway corridor. It is a trial and error effort and one of the outcomes so far is there will be less signs in the corridor and they have to be spaced at least 20 metres apart.

• Council accepted an offer to purchase two lots at 501 & 503 14^th Ave (the lots beside Guppy’s Car and Truck Spa) for full cost recovery, including development levies. The purchaser has plans to develop a hotel on the property.

• I will be leading a meeting of a number of mayors to discuss municipal responses to the delivery of health care. This is not a responsibility of municipalities, yet they often get dragged in, and there have been varying responses to the issue. Hopefully we can start working together to address the perceived ‘downloading’ of health care to municipalities.

• We are in the midst of organizing a joint Town and RM of Kindersley Council meeting to discuss items of mutual concern over a broad range of topics.

Please write or phone if you would like me to discuss a particular topic. If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at the town office or email me at mayorenns-wind@kindersley.ca. You can also check out my blog at http://mayorjohn.blogspot.ca/. I appreciate your feedback.